In the field of latching devices such as employed on farm tractor hitches or on large swinging gates, the essential or at least highly desirable performance characteristics of the device is that it becomes actuated only when desired, that it remain in a positively locked condition for as long as the latching function is required, that it can withstand substantial jostling without becoming either actuated or deactivated prematurely, and that it possesses structure which affords convenience of operation and use, particularly with respect to its employment on a tractor hitch wherein, typically, a single operator must properly locate and position the hitch components of the tractor and towed implement in as short a period of time as possible.
Many latch or hitch devices are known to the art such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,080,386; 4,844,497; 4,560,183; 2,671,673; 4,998,745; 4,502,706; 3,495,851; 4,666,177; 2,556,748; 3,363,318, however, certain features provided by the present invention which markedly enhance its utility and which will become evident hereinafter, are absent from these prior devices.
Objects of the present invention are: to provide a hitch or latch type mechanism or device having enhanced performance characteristics which are particularly important to tractor operators on farms or the like; to provide such mechanism for use on gates, particularly such as used on farms or in industry; and especially to provide such mechanism which affords a high degree of visibility of the latching operation, particularly a view of the hitching operation from the back of a tractor as the operation is progressing.